For good reason, Bernie Gallis is extra attentive when he drives on 15 Mile Road near Maple Lane in Sterling Heights.

In October 2017, Gallis was heading west shortly before 6 a.m. when a deer darted on to 15 Mile.

“I was in the left lane, so I saw it right as it was coming into the road from the curb. I quickly slammed on the brakes,” he said.

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The Chevy Impala he was driving hit the deer and knocked it to the pavement. A few seconds later, the deer – which he believes was a doe weighing about 150 pounds – got up and limped to a nearby school parking lot. Because Gallis, 56, was able to slow down significantly, the damage to the sedan was limited to the grille.

“It could have been a lot worse if I didn’t pay attention and didn’t see it sooner,” he said. Gallis, who resides in the area and has driven on 15 Mile between Schoenherr Road and Dodge Park Road for 27 years, said it took about 10 minutes for his racing heart to return to a normal rate.

The impact with the deer also left a lasting impact on his driving habits, particularly close to dawn and dusk during autumn.

Michigan motorists may have a far greater chance of hitting a deer while driving than winning the lottery, and the odds are increasing.

Car-deer crashes statewide are up more than 17 percent over the 5-year period from 2014 through 2018, according to the Michigan State Police and the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments.

In 2018, there were 53,464 car-deer crashes statewide, compared to 45,690 in 2014.

Drivers and deer in Macomb County bucked that trend last year. The 585 car-deer crashes reported in 2018 was a 6.7 percent decrease from 2014. In 2017, 605 accidents involving vehicles and deer were reported.

Oakland County led the state with 1,851 car-deer crashes in 2018, followed by 1,837 in Kent County on the west side of the state, up 5.77 percent since 2014. Wayne County had 413 car-deer crashes in 2018, a 4.82 percent jump from 2014.

In Oakland County, Rochester Hills has the most car-deer crashes of any community. There were 174 in 2014, 150 in 2015, 178 in 2016, 166 in 2017 and 151 in 2018.

Hoping again to reduce that distinction, the Rochester Hills Deer Management Advisory Committee is adding to the message boards around the city in October cautioning drivers about the possibility of deer running out into the roadway. The boards have been in place around the city in the months of October, November and December for the past three years.

The goal is to raise awareness among drivers and reduce the number of deer crashes within the city.

The Rochester Hills deer advisory board plans to place signs at crash hot spots based on 2018 accidents with the warning, “High Deer Crash Area, Use Caution.”

Einheuser said the signs are placed along roads during the months of October, November and December because that is when most deer-car collisions occur.

By far, the greatest number of car-deer encounters are in southeast Michigan, where there are more people driving. But the rate of car-deer crashes – the number of crashes per 1,000 in population – tends to be higher in more rural areas where there are more deer.

In Oakland County, for example, the 1,851 car-deer crashes was a rate of 1.5 crashes for every 1,000 people, and less than 1 per every 1,000 people in Macomb and Wayne counties.

By comparison, Isabella County in the central Lower Peninsula had 1,094 car-deer crashes in 2018, up 32.9 percent from 2014 and a rate of 15.5 crashes for every 1,000 people in the county.

Traffic safety groups emphasize car-deer awareness in the fall because the state’s 1.8 million deer are more active during breeding season and deer hunting season.

Deer are more active any time of the year at dusk and dawn, but motorists are warned that the animals can appear at any time.

A deer crossing sign on 26 Mile Road, the border of Shelby and Washington townships near Stony Creek Metropark, near dusk on Sept. 26, 2019. Deer are increasingly on the move at dawn and dusk.

DON GARDNER -- THE MACOMB DAILY

Sometimes car-deer accidents have dire consequences.

According to Michigan State Police, deer-involved fatalities statewide decreased from 17 in 2017 to 14 in 2018 -- an 18 percent drop. That’s after an increase of 14 fatalities in 2016 to 17 in 2017.

The collisions often have monetary consequences, too. The average insurance claim is approximately $4,300.

Officials say some of the most serious accidents and injuries to drivers and passengers occur when drivers abruptly try to avoid making impact with the deer.

Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham echoed the advice slogan from traffic safety experts to drivers: “Don’t veer for the deer.”

Wickersham said most of the deer-related accidents handled by the Sheriff’s Office occur in the heavily-rural, northern portions of the county though Gallis' experience in Sterling Heights demonstrates the fact these run-ins can happen anywhere.

“At this time of year, deer are starting to move around” more, Wickersham said. “This is the time where motorists should be very cautious driving on two-lane roads – rural roads – especially at night.

He added many accident calls involving deer are dialed by drivers heading to work in the morning. He noted patrol deputies are especially aware of deer crossing roads more frequently, especially at dawn and dusk.

“That’s definitely in the back of their mind, especially when responding to an emergency situation when driving at a high rate of speed,” the sheriff said.

Retired Warren police officer Mike Metz said he was driving on a two-lane road in Foster Township, near West Branch, at 10 a.m. June 6. He was travelling approximately 45-50 mph when a deer stepped out in front of his 2009 Dodge Charger.

“I braked down as hard as I could and actually braced myself in anticipation of the air bags going off -- fortunately they didn’t,” said Metz, noting the incident was his first collision with a deer after many near misses up north.

“It ran off into the woods but based on the damage to my car and the body fluids spread over my hood and windshield -- it was not survivable!” he said.

The accident caused more than $4,000 in damage, said Metz, who was driving alone.

A motorist heads north on Dalcoma Drive in Clinton Township. The 1-mile-long road is known for deer along the road, which is the west boundary of Macomb Community College -- Center Campus.

NORB FRANZ -- THE MACOMB DAILY

Driving tips

AAA-Auto Club Group offers these tips for car and truck drivers:

• Stay awake, alert and sober.

• Always wear a seat belt.

• Be especially alert at dawn and dusk.

• If you see one deer, slow down. Chances are there are others nearby.

For motorcyclists:

• Stay awake, alert and sober.

• Slow down and be alert for deer whenever you ride.

• Cover the brakes to reduce reaction time.

• Use high beam headlights and additional riding lights when possible.